"This is not as easy as it sounds. You will have to be thoughtful with each other—"
"—and playful—" Samuel chimed in.
"—and not let silly arguments grow into big ones. Zoe, you will have to truly value this big one's presence in your life, because if you don't love him when each full moon sets, the magic that lets him stay here will yank him back."
Magnus could hardly credit her scolding tone. The queen sounded like she was protecting him. Zoe heard the change as well, but she only smiled.
"I will heed your warning," she said, her skin delightfully flushed, "and I thank you for your wisdom."
"Good," said Rajel. "Now take this big one to your bedroom and treat him as he deserves."
Chapter Twenty-one
Zoe doubted either of them needed Rajel's encouragement. Their hands found each other, their breath coming faster at the instantly explicit thoughts that streaked through their heads. Zoe had never seen anything so arousing as the flush that suffused Magnus's face. His fingers were hot as they twined with hers. They could be together the way they wanted. They didn't have to say goodbye.
And, boy, did they have time to make up for.
Zoe didn't notice when the queen and her court vanished, only that Magnus's eyes were glowing like green lasers.
"If we don't get inside soon," he said, husky and low, "I'm going to make love to you up against the side of your house."
Zoe grinned. "You say that like it would be a bad thing."
Feeling bolder than she ever had, she peeled her plain white T-shirt over her head. She was right not to worry over Magnus's reaction. He swallowed at the sight of her na**d br**sts. Her ni**les were already tight, and they tightened more in the cool night air. Magnus's hands curled into fists with his effort not to reach for them.
"I know you like to start slowly," he said, his voice so throaty it was hard to hear. "I need to lay you down for that."
"Lay me down here. Under the stars."
He stared at her, deciding, then began to attack the buttons of his Western shirt. Zoe was far from jaded by this procedure. She knew what glories lay under that pale-blue cotton.
"All your clothes have to go," he said, toeing off his shoes hurriedly. "I'll take as long with you as you like, but I want you na**d fast."
As ultimatums went, she didn't mind this one. She pulled off everything for him, reveling in his moan when she shucked her panties down with her jeans. Goggling at her legs and various other bare parts distracted Magnus from his undressing. Trying to hide her amusement, Zoe lowered herself to the deck's smooth cedar planking, leaned back on her elbows, and let her knees swing wide. When she played her fingers down her belly, skimming the crisp black edge of her pubic thatch, Magnus shook himself.
"Two weeks," he warned her. "Then maybe I'll let you out of bed."
This reminded him he was supposed to be naked, too. He finished the task with flattering speed, but Zoe still got her ogling in. His body was a god's, his big, long muscles silvered by the quarter moon. They bunched and flexed with every movement, but even they could only hold her gaze so long. His hugely erect c**k thrust up from its nest of curls like some ancient worshiper's wish fulfillment. It jerked when her eyes lit on it, so formidable in its arousal that she bit her lip.
This was enough to get him to his next mark. He fell over her in one smooth motion, his palms slapping the decking, his torso crowding hers in primal male display. His heat washed over her in waves.
"You like the size of me a bit too much," he growled. "I'm beginning think that's all you want me for."
Zoe reached down his body to caress the hard, satiny length. "It's not just the size I like, big guy. It's the fact that this"—he shuddered as she squeezed it—"belongs to you."
He captured her mouth and kissed her, so deep, so hungry, that she momentarily forgot what she was holding. When her faculties returned to her, she was flat on her back with her hands stretched above her head, both her wrists captured in one of his hands. He wasted no time taking advantage of her vulnerability, rubbing his big hard torso slowly against hers. This close, the size of his body simply overwhelmed. His erection blazed against her inner thigh, a long-awaited present just out of reach.
Its skin was slightly damp with sweat.
"No fair," she said, writhing beneath him as all her insides tried to strain toward him. "I know you fairies like control, but I want to touch you, too."
The tiny points of his ni**les dragged sparks of fire across her br**sts.
"You are touching me," he whispered.
He was doing something with his energy, causing it to lick over her skin, to curl into her quivering pu**y. She gasped as one hot flare reached inside her, touching nerves her flesh should have protected. Fluid welled from her walls and ran out as the agonizing sweetness probed deeper.
"Oh, God," she cried. "Magnus!"
Her cl*t throbbed frantically at the hidden touch. She realized he'd done this before: first when she'd introduced him to Alex, and later when he'd taken her anally in her bed. Then the effect had been possible to dismiss as imagination. Now the sensations were so sharp she both wanted and didn't want to go over the edge from them.
"Don't," she finally begged. "I want to come with you inside me, from the physical feel of you."
He nuzzled her neck and sent a tendril of energy curling further in. Zoe jerked helplessly. It felt like her very womb was being caressed.
"This is only a fairy tease," he murmured, "to make sure you're ready to take all of me."
"I've been ready for the last two years!"
He chuckled at her hoarse complaint. "Patience," he said. "We only have one first time."
Zoe understood his position, even agreed, but her body had no patience left. She nipped his shoulder in answer, which startled him enough to release her hands.
"Fair is fair," she said, running them down his back and purring with enjoyment. His skin was velvet over hard muscle, so smooth she marveled that she'd ever thought him like other men. He was wonderfully different, that skin of his luring her to explore all the curves and creases that she could reach.
He had a pair of sweet ones under the shadow of his rear.
"Zoe," he cautioned even as his eyes glowed with arousal.
"Tease me all you want," she said. "Just know I'm going to tease you back."
The hand he'd trapped her wrists with slid over and cupped one breast, its thumb circling her nipple until it ached—which, for her, took all of two seconds. He watched the little hardness darken, then looked back at her.